Content & Trigger Warnings for The Knick (2014)

Racially motivated violence and threats in early 20th century New York

Racially motivated violence continues in the early 20th century setting

Period-accurate racism against the Black surgeon including slurs and systemic discrimination

Continued period-accurate racism and systemic discrimination against Black characters

Pervasive racism of early 1900s New York is depicted, including systemic discrimination against Black and immigrant communities.

Infant and child mortality depicted during surgical attempts to save them

Child patient deaths occur during medical storylines

Infant and child mortality occurs in the context of early 20th century medical limitations.

Profound grief permeates the season as characters face devastating losses

Pregnancy loss occurs in the context of early obstetric medicine

Miscarriage and complications during pregnancy are depicted in medical storylines.

Suicide is depicted on screen in a deeply affecting scene

Patients with terminal conditions and fatal diseases are treated, with many dying on screen.

Illegal abortions and their dangerous consequences are a significant storyline element.

Copious amounts of blood are shown during surgical scenes and trauma cases throughout nearly every episode.

Graphic depictions of disease, infection, and experimental surgery on human bodies

Experimental eugenics procedures and graphic surgical horrors

Constant depiction of early 1900s medical procedures, injections, and surgical instruments

Relentless medical procedure depictions including experimental techniques

Extensive depictions of needles, syringes, surgical instruments, and invasive medical procedures are central to the show.

Medical scenes include realistic depictions of patients vomiting

Sexual content including scenes at brothels and between characters

Sexual content and relationships explored with period-appropriate context

Explicit sexual content including nudity and sex scenes appear throughout the series.

Power imbalances in sexual situations reflecting the era's gender dynamics

Power imbalances lead to coercive sexual situations, particularly involving women with limited social agency.

Heavy drinking among hospital staff and in social settings

Alcoholism among characters escalates alongside drug addiction

Alcohol consumption and dependence are shown among multiple characters.

The lead surgeon is addicted to cocaine and injects liquid cocaine regularly

Cocaine addiction spirals further with devastating consequences for the lead surgeon

The protagonist is addicted to cocaine and injects liquid cocaine regularly; opium use also featured.

Drug dependency escalates with dangerous dosing behaviors

Drug use reaches dangerous levels with overdose situations

Drug overdose scenes occur as the main character's addiction escalates throughout the series.

Extremely graphic surgical procedures shown in unflinching detail throughout

Even more graphic surgical sequences pushing the boundaries of what's shown on screen

Extremely graphic surgical procedures are depicted in unflinching detail, including amputations and open wounds.

A character's self-destructive behavior culminates in a devastating act

Self-destructive behavior and suicidal tendencies are explored through the protagonist's spiral.

Sexual violence and coercion occur in several storylines reflecting the era's exploitation of vulnerable women.